


C is for Cookie

by Leni



Series: Enter The Fairy [4]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Background Rumbelle, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-14
Updated: 2017-11-14
Packaged: 2019-02-02 00:12:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12715785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leni/pseuds/Leni
Summary: 3/26





	C is for Cookie

**Author's Note:**

> For @white-throated-packrat

"Bleh," Bae groaned around a full mouth, unable to free his tongue enough to elaborate on the feeling. "Aaaaargh."

At least he had waited until Belle was headed back to the kitchen. His father had noticed Bae's distress and, before Belle could ask for the cause, he'd suggested to compliment her fresh cookies with a glass of milk. 

The smile Belle had directed at his father said that she was aware of his real intent, but the squeeze of his shoulder as she passed reassured that she didn't mind to give father and son some privacy.

For the last two months Bae had resented being left alone with his father, with the obvious purpose to force him into a conversation, but this time he was grateful for Belle's quick absence. 

Once her footsteps had been muffled by distance, his father gave a little titter, unabashed by Bae's glare. "You'll have to swallow first, son."

To his sorrow, Bae had arrived to the same conclusion. Disappointed that his father could offer no better solution, he chewed the sweet, sticky mass already in his mouth until he was reasonably confident it wouldn't glue itself to his throat on the way down. 

Then he downed half the glass of water that appeared before him, for once dismissing the instinctive anger at another proof of the magic his father retained. 

"I know I taught you better manners than to stick a whole cookie in your mouth," his father said, though he sounded amused rather than disappointed. 

Bae glared. "They smell great," he defended himself. 

"It always takes Belle a few tries before she gets a new recipe right," explained his father while Bae checked behind his teeth. "Your mistake was in not waiting until she'd tasted a cookie for herself. Then she'd have given some excuse to take the tray away, and come back in an hour with an improved version."

Bae couldn't help the betrayed look he shot his father. "And you couldn't warn me?"

His father gave him a sympathetic look, but shook his head nonetheless. "Not while she was in the room, certainly."

Bae grumbled, but he understood. Embarrassing his stepmother had never been his intention. "It's all right," he said, reflecting that it was far from the worst thing he'd eaten. 

His father smiled, though the smile faltered when Bae didn't return the gesture, and with a soft sigh, he reclined against the back of his couch. 

The expression that crossed his father's face reminded Bae of his Papa of old, when he'd been thirteen and had never dreamed that magic could touch his life. 

When life had been easier. 

The thought immediately made him feel guilty, as what he'd recognized on his father's face was the weight of defeat. Then Bae felt angry again, because there was nothing he should be feeling guilty about. 

No. He definitely couldn't smile back. 

There was a long moment of silence, broken at the sound of glasses clinking together to announce they wouldn't be alone for long. 

"This time, don't take another bite until Belle does," his father said in a soft voice, good humor restored at Belle's approach. "Consider yourself warned."

The father who had raised him had never lit up at his wife's return, undercooked cookies and all. The father who'd allowed darkness to overtake him, would have delighted in fanning the awkward moment between Bae and Belle instead of defusing the situation.

This man took his glass of milk with a sincere smile, then waited until Belle bit into one of her cookies, and nodded in earnest understanding when she grabbed the tray and hurried back to the kitchen, claiming she'd forgotten to decorate them. 

"I'm still hungry," Bae said, resigned to the wait. His stomach, now used to being full, growled in reproach. "Why didn't you just..?"

Luckily, his father interpreted the wave of his hands correctly. "Oh, no. Never do magic where it's not welcome!" His shoulders lifted into a little shrug at Bae's skeptical reaction, and the sheepish smile that stole over his lips spoke of another anecdote from the time between Belle's arrival in the Dark Castle and Bae's return. "Better not to meddle in a woman's work without her leave, my boy. You'll be safer keeping company with her baking in the oven, than daring to suggest she cannot do it right by herself."

Bae knew he was expected to laugh along, but all that came to his mind were the hundreds of times he'd begged his father not to work magic at home - and been roundly ignored. 

"I see," he said, unable to contain the sour note from the words. 

His father visibly deflated. Licked his lips in a nervous habit that had followed him through the centuries. His mouth worked to say something, but Bae turned away, signal enough that the conversation was over. 

After a moment, his father let out a long sigh, and a sullen silence settled over the room. 

Bae knew that he could try to explain, but that would only cascade into another wave of apologies. Apologies were useless to him. Instead he got to his feet and headed for the stairs. "I'll wait in my room."

He didn't see his father gaze after him. Neither did he hear the soft words:

"I'll be right here, son."

 

The End  
13/11/17

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are love!


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